Indicator or sign.



PATENTBD MAY 30, 1905. E. M. SKINNER. I INDICATOR OR SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.24. i904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAY 30, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. M. SKINNER. INDICATOR 0R SIGN. APPLIOATION FILED snranm. 1904.

PATENTED MAY 30, 1905.

p I3. M. SKINNER. I' INDICATOR 0R SIGN. APPLGATION-FILE-D SBPTJIL, 1904.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 3` I In Patented May 30, 1905. I

yPATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN M. SKINNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

mmcA-roa on SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,221, dated May 30, 1905. Application filed September 24, 1904.-. Serial No. 225,727.

- To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN M. SKINNER, a

citizen of the Ungited States, residing in the borough of Richmond, city and State of ew York, have invented an Improvement in Indicators or Signs, of which the following is a specification.

Various mechanisms have heretofore been vdevised for use in railway and street cars to indicate the names of stations Astopped at in 'succession and in other places to indicate in succession names, numbers, or items of lnterest to the public. In these devices there have 'been employed endless bands and bands rolled lback and forth or in opposite directions on suitable rollers with the names, numbers, &c., thereon and also name plates or cards received -in suitable receptacles, from one of which they were shifted to the otherin either direction.

My invention relates to an indicator employ- Ving a series of name-plates and suitable receptacles therefor with the object of vmaking .-more positive and automatic the shifting of 25 lother in either direction. -ment rocker-arms on the ends of a'shifterplate are automatically operated. by switch- 'bars on the end faces of the follower-plates to `change the feed of the name-plates-from one -receptacle to the other in either direction asl the name-plates from one receptacle to the In my improvethe receptacles containing the name-plates become empty, and in case it is desiredto reverse the movement in either direction with- -out going to the end of the series of name- -plates I provide manually-actuated devices engaging the rocker-arms for swinging the same` to change-the direction of movement. The

lname-plates have thickened ends to separate 4o. l

vthe names are placed fromabrasion.

the same and preserve the surfaces on which In addition to the foregoing there are minor features of lmprovement going to make :up an harmonious and complete structure. y' :1n-In. the drawings', Flgure l is an elevation .oftthexindicator.according to my invention {..wi'th sects tbein-ggshown 1n lts normal and mclined. posi- -he.front removed.` Fig. 2 is a vertical at the line m of Fig. 1,v the indicator tion...f.Fig. 3 is asecti'onal plan atrone end on the line y y of Fig. 1, the series of nameplates being removed for clearness. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan at the forward right-hand corner and on the line m of Fig. 1 with the name-plates in position. Fig. 5 is a vertical section at the left-hand end of the indicator and on the line y y of Fig. 2. Figs. 6 and 7 'are elevations at the left-hand ends of the follower-plates, so as to fully show the switchbars in position. Fig. 8 is an elevation at the back of the shifter-plate and at one end thereof. Fig. 9 is a plan at the right-hand forward corner of the central partition, so as to show the frame connected thereto; and Fig. 10 is across-section and elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 9 at the line e z.

In constructingthe case of my improved station-indicator I prefer to form the bottom o, top d, the ends e, and the partitions e', adjacent to the ends e, integral in one piece of cast metal. The front a, provided with glasses at', through which the letters or numerals on the name-plates .and shifter-plate are visible,

Vis preferably secured to a flange of the beforelnamed integral part by screws or otherwise.

The-back b is fastened to the opposite side of said integral structure in any desired manner, and I prefer in the top d to make a removable portion d to give access within for the removal of any of the series of name-plates.

The bottom, top, ends, and partitions formed integral are advantageously made with a flange c', extending around the same, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. by means of which the indicator is fastened up in position to a partition or other support,'said flange being so formed with the integral structure as when in position to hold the same at an inclination, as

shown in Fig. 2, which inclination performs a twofold function-namely, providing for a gravity action of the series of name-plates and ybringing the plane of the naine-plates more nearly at right angles to the line of vision, the front being inclined downward.

I provide a central partition' inclined and in a plane parallel with the planes of the bottom o and top d, said central partition being carried on support-plates 2, secured to the partitions e. The inner and opposite faces of the partitions c are provided with recesses 3, whichy IOO extend from the front to the back of the case, and said partitions are provided with ledges 4 on about the level of the central partition, which ledges form slideways for the upper series of name-plates, and the bottom of the case is provided with ribs 5, which form slideways for the lower series of name-plates, thus insuring the name-plates in the upper and lower receptacles of the case being always in the same line, whereby their downward movement by gravity is facilitated.

f represents the series of name-plates, and f thickened ends thereto, formed in any desired manner and for the purpose of separating the surfaces thereof, and especially the vsurface on which the name of the station or other matter is printed or painted, so as to preventl abrasion.

g g are the follower-plates in the upper and lower receptacles, the same being provided `withprojecting ends passing into and guided by the respective recesses 3 of the partitions e. Theseries of name-plates f have their thickened ends f preferably provided with rounded top and bottom edges, so as to facilitate the4 ready movement of the name-plates from one-receptacle to the other in either direction.

Upon the respective ends of the followerplates g g are switch-bars 6 7. (Shown in Figs 1 and 6.)- These are substantially alike but reversed in position and actuate devices hereinafterdescribed. Upon the outer faces of` the series of name-plates are placed the names of stations to be stopped at in succession or names,.numbers, or items of interest to the public,while upon the surface of the shifter-plate is placed a word or words especially intended for repeated use in connection with the names upon the series of nameplatesfsuch, for instance,as the words Next Station, (Shown in Fig. 1.) This shifterplate /L occupies a position in the case of the indicator which, is next to thefront thereof and for-ward of the series of name-plates, and

it is adapted for vertical movement in front of.saidname-plates and is provided with means for raising the name-plates of the lower receptacle intothe upper receptacle or bringing down the name-plates of. the upper receptacle intothe lower receptacle, according to the ldirect-ion of movement that may be desired.

The shifter-plate is provided at. its ends with enlarged project-ing por-tions, on the upperl ends and inner faces of which are double inclines'lOand on the lower ends and inner faces inclines 11, which pass at the limits of the` movement of the said shifter-plate into recesses provided inthe case. This shifterplate at its respective ends is furthery provided with plate extensions 7a2 with end perforations. Bivoted to these plate extensions and located on the outer face thereof at the ends of the shifter-plate are rocker-arms c, the pivot thereof being about centraland the arms at obtuse angles to one another. These rockerarms are provided at the upper ends and on the back face with lugs 12,.that extend within the case and beyond the back surface of the plate extensions 7b2. Said rocker-arms are also provided at their lower ends with lugs 13, somewhat similar to the lugs 12, which also extend within the casing beyond the inner surface of the plate extensions. The lugs 13 are provided with pins 14, (see especially Figs. 1, 3, and 8,) the oiiice of which will be hereinafter described. A holding friction is preferably exerted on the rocker-arms at their pivots.

I provide a cross-shaft Z centrally through the case of the indicator at the back, an operating-lever Z' therefor, and suitable means for actuating the same. Upon the ends of the cross-shaft andwithin the recesses provided in the ends of the case between the ends e and partitions e there are hubs 15, from which project arms m m. The free ends of these arms pass through the perforations or openings provided in the ends of the plate extensions 71,2. This cross-shaft, lever, and arms are provided as a means for raising and lowering the said shifter-plate for moving the series of name-plates.

The forward edges of the partitions e' are each formed with a fiange, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and I provide angle-plates i', which at their outer edges are formed with slotted. guide-ribs c" and at their inner edges with divided guides 2. The ends of thc plate extensions h2 of the shifter-plate 71, pass through the slotted portions of the guide-ribs i', .so that the shifter-plate is guided by these ribs z" of the angle-plates e', and a positive line of movement is thus provided for the shifterplate. The divided guides yfcome in front or forward of the ends of the series of name- `plates in the upper and lower receptacles, so

as to limit their movement, andv it will be further noticed by special reference to Fig. 2 that the case of the indicator is set at an inclination of about twentydegrees tothe horizontal. Therefore the series of name-plates and the follower-plates g g' act by the force of gravity to move down through the upper and lower receptacles and to keep in a close relation of contact with one another and in position to be engaged by the lugs of the said rocker-arms 7f3.

The central partition 7) is provided at its forward corners with angle-frames L. (Sec especially Figs. 3, 9, and 10.) Each of these angle-frames has a projecting portion, at the end of which is an incline 9, placed vertical, and at the corner of the angle-frames there is a support-block 8 with an inclined face. lt will be further noticed by reference to Figs. 2 and 5 that in the upper receptacle the nameplates rest upon the surfaces of the ledges 4 and that the first of the name-plates in the upper receptacle rests upon the su pport-blocks 25. erate the indicator to the end of the series of fect.

8,'the upper surfaces of thesupport-.bloclz's 8' and the ledges 4 being exactly 'in' the same plane, so' that there can be no break in the -continuity of movement of the name-plates in lthe upper receptacle.

In the lower'receptacle the ends of the name-plates rest upon the -ribs 5 in the bottom of the case and slide there- `on in their gravity movement.

I provide stops 16, Figs. 1 and 2, in thereceptacles-at the ends of the case against'which the armsjm m striker at the ends of their movements, said stops preferably having rubber surfaces asY cushions to prevent jar and injury to the moving parts. The case of the 15v indicator is advantageously provided at its lower corners with finger-switches n, each of lwhich is provided with a pin n', the olce of which switches is to manually shift the rockerarms r-say from the position in full lines. Fig. 1-so' as to bring the upper portions of said arms into a vertical position and swing -the lower members of said arms out into an inclined position, or vice versa, so as, if desired, to change the direction of movement of the name-plates without being obliged to opname-plates,` for, as an illustration, a train carrying these indicators instead of going to -the end of its route might stop midway and go back, and in such event it would be neces- 'saryto shift the mechanism so that the order of sequence of the name-plates would be per- In this movement the pins n engage pins n2, projecting from the rocker-arms at their lower ends.

The operation ofthe device is as follows:

-Bearing in mind that as the parts are shown in the drawings,the progressing movement of the mechanism with the position of the rockerarms 7c is raising the name-plates from the lower receptacle of the case Vinto the upper receptacle.

Referring to Figs. 1, 3, and 4, it will be noticed that the lower members of .the rocker- -into the receptacle, so as to provide room for theupwardly-movingname-plate. This nameplate as it rises with the 'shifter-plate acts upon the inclined faces of the support-blocks 8 to move the central partition back simultaneouslywith the movement of the nameplates and follower-plate g in the upper receptacle. When the name-plate lifted reaches its highest point,the central partition which is free to move and is not in any wise in contact with the name-plates or follower-plate, again moves forward, bringing the upper surfaces of the support-blocks 8 beneath F the 'ends of the name-plate that has just been raised to position in the'upper receptacle, and

lthus holds the same in position. The movement in the oppositedirection of the crossvshaft and the arms connected therewith sim- -ply moves down the shifter-plate to the initial position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the movement just described the inclines 11 press back the name-plates'and follower-plate in the lower receptacle and hold the same back,

because the inclines 11 do not move off'the end faces of the forward name-plate in the lower receptacle, and with the downward movement just described the name-plates and follower-plate in the lower receptacle are kept back, thus providing the necessary space or room for'the downward vmovement of the lshifter-plate LQ With the further upward movements of the shifter-plate the operations just described -are repeated until all of the name-plates in the lower receptacle have been raised and transferred into the upper receptacle. With the completion of the transfer of these name-plates from they lower into the upper receptacle the follower-plate g in the' -lower receptacle comes neXtto the shifterplate, and with the downward movement of thisl shifter-plate the lugs 13 come in contact with the switch-bars 7 on the ends of the follower-plate g', which act to swing the vrockerarms 7c and bring their upper members into a vertical position and throw their lower memi,

Vbers out into an inclined position in which the lugs 12, heretofore inactive, are brought in evidence, and the lugs 13, heretofore operative, are made inoperative during the reverse movement'of bringing the name-plates from the upper receptacle of the case down into the lower receptacle. For this reverse movement it will be apparent that the action of the vname-plates cannot be depended upon to move the central partition b back into the case to provide room for the vertical movement ofthe name-plate, because in the-upper receptacle each name-plate as it comes forward rests upon `the upper surfaces of the support-blocks 8.

For the performance of this function the pins l 14 on the ylugs 13 come into evidence with each upward movement of the shifter-plate because they engage the inclines 9 at the ends of the angle-frames2 on said central partition and move the same back' out of the way at the time that the shifter-plate i comes to its highest point and the lugs 12 at the upper ends of the rocker-arms c come above the upper edges of the first name-plate in the upper receptacle. With the downward movement of -theshifter-plate the lirst name-plate in the upperv receptacle is moved with the shifter-plate into the lower receptacle, the inclines 11 pressing back the name-plates, as heretofore described, and with each successive movement of the name-plate' a corre- V sponding action of the parts takes place to bring down thename-plates insuccession from ceptacle it will. be noticed that the upper follower-plate g comes-next to the shifter-plate and with a further upward movement of the shifter-plate the lugs 12 come against the switch-bars 6 of the follower-plate g and the rocker-arms Zz are again shifted to bring them into the full-line position, Fig. 1, in which they are so placed as to be prepared to raise the name-plates fromthe lower into the upper receptacle, thus -repeating the movements heretofore described. The guidesz'2 on the faces of the angle-plates c' come forward of the name-plates in the respective receptacles to limit their movement, and these guides are divided, as shown especially in Fig. 1, so that with the respective shifting movements of the rocker-armsc by means of the. switch-bars 6 7 room will be provided for the passage of the lugs 12 13 from one position to another, it be- -ing apparent from Fig. 1 that in the position therein of the rocker-arms the lugs 13 are within the guides 2 while the lugs 12 are outside of the same and that in the reverse position of the rocker-arms the lugs 12 would be inside of the guides and the lugs-13-outside.

I have shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 a bell 0 in thespace between the end e and partition e. A hammer o is pivoted to the said partition, anda pin 18 extends out from the hammer into a juxtaposed relation with the arm m'. When this arm is elevated,it raises the hammer, which gradually moves away, and as the pin18 slips off the arm m the hammer falls, striking the bell, soundingan alarm. As the arm m descends and contacts with the pin 18 the hammer-wire yields and the arm m' passes below the pin 16 to a normal position.

While I have shown and described my improved indicator with special reference to stations upon an elevated or surface road, it is apparent that the indicator is not limited to such uses, as it may be employedto equal advantage for indicating to the public view any matters in succession that may be desired, and as an illustration of such use'it might be said that the indicator could be used in places of public amusement to give the numbers and items of a program or in places of public worship to give the numbers of the hymns or in concerts to give the musical numbers or nam es,

and in railroad-depots to indicate the destinasaid movable devices to reverse the direction of movement of the name-plates.

2. In an indicator, the combination with a case having two receptacles and movable nameplates, of a shifter-plate and means for actuating the same, devices movable with the shifterplate for engaging the name-plates, followerplates in said receptacles coming back of the name-plates, and means secured to the follower-plates for automatically changing the position of said movable devices to reverse the direction of movement of the name-plates.

3. In an indicator, the combination with an inclined case having two receptacles and nameplates moving by gravity, of a shifter-plate and means for actuating the same, devices movable with the shifter-plate for engaging the name-plates, gravity followerplates in said receptacles back of the name-plates, and means secured to the follower-plates for automatically changing the-position of said movable devices to reverse the direction of movement of the name-plates.

4. In an indicator, thecombination with a case having two receptacles and movable nameplates, of a shifter-plate and means for actuating the same, rocker-arms pivotally mounted upon the ends of the shifter-plates, devices at the respective ends of the rocker-arms for engaging the name-plates so as to move the same from one receptacle to another, and lneans for changing the position of said rocker-arms to reverse the direction of movement of the nameplates.

5. In an indicator, the combination with a case having two receptacles and movable nameplates, of a shifter-plate and means for actuating the same, rocker-arms pivotally mounted upon the ends of the shifter-plate, devices at the respective ends of the rocker-arms for engaging the name-plates so as to move the same from one receptacle to another, and means for automatically changing thc position of said rocker-arms to reverse the direction of movement of the name-plates.

6. In an indicator, the combination with a case having two receptacles and movable nameplates, of a shifter-plate and means for actu ating the same, rocker-arms pivotally mounted upon the respective ends of the shifter-plate and movable therewith, lugs upon the opposite ends of the rocker-arms adapted to engage the name-plates in the respective positions of the rocker-arms to change the nameplates from one receptacle to the other in either direction, gravity follower-plates in said receptacles coming back of the name-plates, and means secured to the follower-plates for changing the position of the rocker-arms to reverse the direction of movement of the nameplates.

7. In an indicator, the combination with a case having two receptacles and movable nameplates, of a shifter-plate and means for actuat- TOO TIO

ing the same, rocker-arms pivotally mounted.

upon the respective ends of the shifter-plate and movable therewith, lugs upon the opposite ends of the rocker-arms adapted to engage the name-plates in the respective positions of the rocker-arms to change the name-plates from one receptacle to the other in either direction, gravity follower-plates in said receptacles coming back of the name-plates, and switch-bars secured to the outer faces of said gravity follower-plates at their ends and in reversed positions for contacting with the lugs of -the rocker-arms to change -the position thereof to reverse the direction of movement of the name-plates.

8. lIn an indicator, the combination with an inclined -case having two downwardly-extending receptacles and name-plates therein moving by gravity, of a shifter-plate in the lower forward portion of the indicator and means for actuating the same, rocker-arms pivotally mounted upon the respective ends of the shifter-plate, lugs upon the ends of the rockerarms projecting inward `of the indicator-case and movable with the shifter-plate for engaging the name-plates, gravity follower-plates in said receptacles coming back of the nameplates and adjacent to the back of the shifterplate as each receptacle is emptied of nameplates, switchbars upon the faces of the follower-plates at their respective ends adapted for automatically engaging the lugs of the rocker-arms for changing the position of said rocker-arms to reverse the direction of movement of the name-plates as said follower-plates come respectively into a juxtaposed relation with the shifter-plate.

9. In an indicator, the combination with a case having two receptacles and movable nameplates, of a shifter-plate and means for actuating the same, devices movable with the shifterplate for engaging the name-plates, slideways in said receptacles upon which the name-plates rest, a central partition and a support therefor independent of the slideways of the nameplates, means connected to said central partition for supporting the forward name-plate in the upper receptacle, and `means connected with the shifter-plate for bodily moving the said central partition as the .name-plates are progressively transferred from the upper to the lower partition.

10. In an indicator, the combination with a case having two receptacles and movable nameplates, of a shifter-plate and means for actuating the same, devices movable with the shifterplate for engaging the name-plates, slideways in said receptacles upon which'the nam e-plates rest, a central partition and a support therefor independent of the slideways of the nameplates, support-blocks having inclined faces and adjacent inclines and means for connecting the same to they forward corners of the central partition, and means connected to theshifterplate for contacting with the inclines at the ends of the central partition to move the central partition back as each name-plate from the upper receptacle is moved down into thelower receptacle. v

11. In an indicator, the combination with'an inclined case having two receptacles, movable name-plates, and ledges within the upper receptacle forming supports for the name-plates therein and upon whichv they move, of partitions e adjacent to the ends of the indicatort case, the forward portions of which are'provided with anges, angleplates secured to these flanged forward edges and each provided with a guide-rib and with divided guides, the divided guides coming against the outer faces of the name-plates as stops to their downward rmovement, a shifter-plate and plate eXtening toward the interior of the case and adapted to engage the name-plates in shifting the same from one receptacle to the other in either direction, and means for contacting with said lugs to shift the rocker-arms from one position to another.

13. In an indicator, the combination with a case having two receptacles and movable nameplates therein, of a shifter-plate and means for actuating the same, rocker-arms secured to the ends of said shifter-plate, lugs upon the backs of the rocker-arms at their ends extending toward the interior of the case and adapted to engage the name-plates in shifting the same from one receptacle to the other in either direction, means for contacting with said lugs to shift the rocker-arms from one position to another, enlarged ends near the ends of the shifter-plate, double inclines upon the upper endsof these enlarged ends and inclines on theirl lower ends, which inclines are adapted to act upon the name-plates inthe respective receptacles to move and hold the same back and facilitate shifting the first of said nameplates in either direction. Y

, Signed by me this Gthday of September,

EDWIN M. SKINNER. Witnesses:4

Guo. T. PINCKNEY,

' S. T. HAVILAND.v 

